Apparatus foe drying fruit



"( Medel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING FRUIT, VEGETABLES, GRAIN AND ANALOGOUS ARI'IGLES. ANo. 264,246. Patented Sept. 12, 1882.

TIMI

WW I (No'ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P.;000K, APPARATUS FOR DRYING FRUIT, VEGETABLES, GRAIN AND ANALOGOUSARTICLES.

No. 264,246. A Patented Sept. 12, 1882.

Fig.3.

l ll UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK COOK, OF OLEMMONSVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING FRUIT, VEGETABLES, GRAIN, AND ANALOGOUS ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,246, datedSeptember 12, 1882.

Application filed July 21, 1882. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK COOK, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Glemmonsville, in the county of Davidson and Stateof North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Drying Fruit, Vegetables, Grain, and Analogous Articles,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to machines or apparatus for steam-drying fruits,vegetables, and grain; and it consists in certain improvements in theconstruction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation, partly insection, of my improved device. Fig. 2 represents a top plan viewthereof, with the top tray shown as turned out of alignment, for apurpose to be presently described. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation ofthe device. Fig. tis an enlarged detail sectional view, showing one ofthe trays and the steam-supply pipe and parts connecting the sametogether. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged plan view, partly in section andbroken away, of the trays and the arrau gement by which the supply ofsteam thereto is admitted or cut off.

A represents a water tank or boiler, which may be oblong, as shown inthe drawings, or of any other desired shape, and constructed out of anysuitable metal or material. a represents the water therein. In use heatis applied to the bottom of this tank or boiler A, either by placingsuch tank upon a furnace or other heating medium or otherwise, and thewater a heated until steam is generated.

B represents a hollow tube or pipe, whose lower end passes through thetop of the tank A, as shown, and is supported or braced in positionthereon by braces or stays b.

C 0 represent hollow trays, upon the upper outer surface of which thefruit, vegetables, grain, or analogous articles to be dried are placed.Each tray has a flange, a, to hold the fruit, &c., in position thereon.The rear or inner end of each tray is provided with ears or lugs a whichengage with a circumferential sleeve, D, having at that portion in linewith the chamber 0 in the tray an opening, (I, which, when the tray isin position and in alignment, will be in line with a siinilaropening, 6,in the pipe or tube B, so that upon steam being generated in the tank orboilerA such steam ascending the pipe B, it will pass through saidopenings 0 and 01 into the space 0 and heat the upper surface of thetray 3, and thereby dry the material thereon. The water of condensationfrom the steam passes oft through openings 6 and the spouts f to thefunnel g, from whence it is conveyed through the pipe h to the tank orboiler A, for reconversion into steam and reuse. The forward end of suchtray is supported upon horizontal extensions 2 of a vertical standard orpost, E, secured at its lower end to the tank or boiler A. The pipe B isformed with encircling rings below each opening a. A washer, l, isslipped over the tube B and down upon each of said rings 76. The sleevesD are then similarly slipped over and down the tube until they rest uponsaid washers. Then the trays are, through their ears or lugs a securedto said sleeves, and additional washers, l, are slipped down the tubeuntil they rest upon the tops of the sleeves D. These sleeves have freerotary movement upon the tube B, so that when it is desired to out offthe supply of steam to any one or more of the trays all that isnecessary is to turn the forwardend of such tray sidewise, as shown inFigs.2 and 5 of the drawings, when the opening (I, communicating withthe interior 0 thereof, will be turned out of alignment with the opening6 in the tube and a plain or solid portion of the sleeve brought oversaid openin g e, so as to cover it, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, therebycompletely cutting on from such tray 0 the supply of steam.

Depending downwardly from the bottom of each tray is an eye, m, withwhich the hook p of a rod, 42, engages, the opposite end of said rodbeing swiveled upon the tube B by an eye,

' 0, to admit of its readily moving in a horizontal direction upon thetray being turned out ward. \Vhen the tray is turned outward and awayfrom its support i said rod will sustain such tray in its turnedposition and prevent its sagging down. The eye 0 of each rod rests uponthe upper washer, l, and has bearing thereon.

The proper amount of water a having been placed in the tank or boiler A,(which may be done by pouring such water through the pipe h or in anyother suitable way,) said boiler, with its attached trays, 860., isplaced upon or brought into contact with the heating device. The fruit,vegetables, or grain or other articles to be dried are then placed uponthe trays G, which are placed in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 ofthe drawings, with their outer ends resting upon the supports 1'. Thenas steam is generated it will ascend the pipe B and pass through theopenings 6 clinto the trays O,and, heating them, dry the materialthereon. Such material, during the process of drying, can be readilystirred or turned when desired, as the trays are within ready reach ofthe party operating the drier.

Any number of trays may be employed and any desired quantity of materialdried at one time, as if it is desired to use one, two, or more traysonly, instead of the entire number on the drier, orit' the material onany of them is sufficiently dried, such trays as itis not desired touse, or such as it is not desired to admit steam to, can be readilyturned aside and the steam cut off therefrom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim therein is- 1. Thecombination, with a steam-generating tank, A, of steam-conveying pipe B,having openings 0, and hollow trays 0, having openings cl and pivotallymounted upon said pipe B, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. The combination, with a steam-generating tank, A, and pipeB,havingopenings c and rings Ir, of the hollow trays 0, having openings cland e, and the condensed-steam receiver 9 h, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a steam-generating tank, A, and steam-conveyingpipe B, the ho]- low tray or trays (J, communicating with said pipe B,and provided with a suitable support, 2', at the outer end, and having asleeve, D, pivotally mounted upon said pipe B at the opposite end, theeye m, and the rod n 019, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence'of two witnesses.

FRANK COOK.

Witnesses:

OHAs. J. Gooorr, L. O. YOUNG.

